Padlock dispenser



sept. 1, 1959 s. J. CABANBAN 2,902,187 l PADLocK DISPENSER Filed Jan. 8,1957 United States Patent O PADLOCK DISPENSER Severino J. Cabanban, NewYork, N.Y.

Application January 8, 1957, Serial No. 633,149

2 Claims. (Cl. 221-240) This invention relates to containers and, moreparticularly, to containers for automatically dispensing open padlocks.

Various types of organizations and institutions require a constantsupply of open padlocks for use in sealing various receptacles. This isparticularly true in post ofces where ya padlock is used to secureregistered mail pouches. In many instances, closed padlocks become mixedwith open padlocks such that substantial time and effort is wasted inselecting only the open padlock for use. Also, many padlocks aremisplaced and considerable time is expended in locating `such padlocksfor use. Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide acontainer for automatically dispensing only open padlocks that is simplein construction, efficient in operation, and which will overcome theaforementioned difliculties.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container forautomatically dispensing single open padlocks in a predeterminedposition.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of thisinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device made in accordance with thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 1 in amodified position.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing, a container made in accordancewith the present invention is shown to include a mounting plate to whichis secured the basic container structure consisting of spaced parallelbase plates 12, 13, land integral arcuate side plates 15, 16. The sideplates are joined together along their bottom edge by a lower front wall18 and adjacent their midportion by an upper connecting wall 19, betweenwhich walls a rectangular opening 21 is defined.

A substantially U-sh'aped cover 23 closed by an end wall 24 at one end,is provided with a pair of parallel side Wings 25 that are hingedlyconnected to the opposed side plates 15, 16, of the base frame by meansof pivot pins 26. The rearmost edge of the closure wall 24 is providedwith a perpendicularly extending flange 27 that is normally disposedwithin a recess 28 lat the upper ends of the side plates 15, 16, so asto maintain the cover in a closed position. The cover is mounted forlimited longitudinal, movement with the pivot pins 26 so that the flange27 may be moved out of engagement with the recess 28 to Vrotate thecover to an open position 23a, as shown in Figure 2. A longitudinal rail30 of U-shaped cross section is supported upon the plate 10 intermediatethe side plates 15, 16, and has a slot or cutout 31 at its innerextremity that is in yalignment with similar slots 32, 33, in the spacedbase plates of the platform. These aligned slots slideably receive afinger 35 of a T-shaped trigger assembly 36 that is slideably mountedupon a support 37 secured to the front wall 18 of the cover. Forwardmovement of the trigger assembly against the re- ICC sistance of acompression spring 38 is operative to move the finger 35 towards thefront of the housing. 'Ihe central portion of the cover 23 is providedwith a longitudinal housing 39 having a longitudinal slot 40 andintersecting transverse slot 41 which slideably receive the leg 43 of alongitudinally disposed latch element 44. In a normally locked andextended position, the latch element 44 is operative to block thepassage of locks 50 through the opening 21 in the cover.

In using the device, the cover is opened, as shown in Figure 2, and aplurality of open locks 50 arranged in stacked relationship within theconfines of the arcuate side plates 15, 16. In this position, the rail30 extends between the bifurcated portion of the locks so that only openlocks may be inserted therein. In the case of closed locks, the bail 51which is in a retracted position when the lock is open, would normallybe in an extended position thereby blocking the passage of the rail andthe proper positioning of the lock. Thus, no closed locks may be placedwithin the container. A pair of hangers 46 are also provided tofacilitate the hanging of the dispenser in `any desired location.However, the dispenser may also be used in a horizontal position asshown in Figure 4. In either case, a forward pressure on the trigger 36,as shown in Figure 2, is operative to effect the engagement of thefinger 35 with a single lower lock 50 to thrust it forwardly through theopening 21. The latch element 44 is used to prevent any locks fromaccidentally leaving the container and thus must be released prior tothe operation of the trigger.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to thespecic form shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such isnot to be construed as inlparting limitations upon the invention, whichis best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A dispenser for storing and dispensing open padlocks comprising, incombination, a mounting plate, a base frame secured to said mountingplate having a pair of arcuate side plates and a front connecting walldening an opening, a platform between said side plates supporting astack of open p-adlocks, a longitudinal guide rail extendingperpendicularly to said platform for guiding engagement within the bightportion of each of the stack of open padlocks for receiving openpadlocks and for preventing the insertion of closed padlocks into saiddispenser, a trigger assembly for effecting movement of a single lock ina direction perpendicular to the access of said guide rail through saidopening, a cover releasably enclosing said base frame comprising a frontWall in substantial alignment with said connecting wall, a latch elementsupported upon said front Wall for movement between a blocking positionin front of said opening and a retracted position relative thereto, theadjacent portions of said guide rail and said platform being providedwith aligned slots opening toward said opening, and said triggerassembly including a finger adapted to be received Within said slots forexpelling a single lock upon movement of said latch member to saidretracted position.

2. A dispenser as set forth in claim 1, wherein said finger is normallydisposed in a retracted position within the confines of said rail.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 904,766Edes Nov. 24, 1908 1,670,797 Carlson May 22, 1928 1,888,279 Manning etal Nov. 22, 1932 2,253,885 Bregou Aug. 26, 1941 2,436,577 Kirby Feb. 24,1948

